Main tera dushman, dushman tu mera Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Khushi stomped her feet when Arnav forced her to go inside their father's office.

"Arnav, I am really scared!" she muttered.

"Relax and take a deep breathe. He is not going to eat you...You just go in and show him your designs, and come out. I promise, he won't judge you..."

She shook her head, and was literally panting in fear.

"What if he didn't like my designs?"

He held her by her shoulders.

"Khushi!" he softly said. "I said relax. Do not expect anything. Good or bad. Second thing remember, do not be scared of failing. But I am telling you, I loved these designs of yours. They are fantastic. Dad will love them too."

"What if he didn't?" she asked, finding hard to have a grip on her furious nerves. Arnav hugged her when nothing else worked. She hugged him back tightly.

"Arnav, please don't go anywhere..."
He assured her he will stay outside and wait for her.

After giving herself much courage she pulled away from a hug and a decided to go inside Mr. Raizada's office. Arnav blew kiss at her. "You will be fine!" he muttered.

"Papa, may I come in?!"
"Khushi," Mr. Raizada said excitedly, "please my child, come on in..."
She gently closed the door behind and went inside the cabin. Mr. Raizada got up his seat.
"Good afternoon, papa!"
She went around the table and gave him the hug.
"Good afternoon, my dear. Please have a seat!"
Khushi nervously took a seat on the opposite side of her father-in-law's desk.
"So, tell me, how are you doing?"
"Papa, to tell you the truth I  am scared..."

He laughed a throaty laugh.

"Scared of me?"
"I don't know!" she answered.
He laughed again.
"Papa, here are the designs," she handed him the yellow envelope. "Inside it I have enclosed few sketches..."
"Perfect, my child. I can't wait to see them..." he said, as he was already going to open it.
"Papa, please can you open it after I go?"
"Why, my child?"
"Because I am afraid if you will like them or not..."

He had already decided to open the envelope that too in front of her.
"Don't doubt yourself, my child."

Smile from his face vanished all together when he pulled out her designs.

Khushi's legs were fidgety. She couldn't breathe that much she was scared. She wasn't even looking at his face once he had her designs out.

All she wanted to do was to run out of the office to Arnav. At one moment she was chewing her nails. Somewhere after hearing all praises from Arnav she had little self confidence, but now it was app fading away. It would not be wrong if she believed it totally died.

"Are you sure these are your designs?" he asked.

Khushi's heart skipped a beat...

"Y-yes...Papa!" she stammered. She thought her brain might explode and heart would jump out of her chest.

"You know what, Khushi, bitiya...When you are stepping in a real world you should have your work up to the mark...If not, most of the companies won't even care taking you!"

Khushi gulped down the one big lump down her throat. She failed, she knew it. She knew her father will not like her stupid designs. And she knew Arnav was just trying to give her fake hopes. She was good for nothing, she knew it, she thought. Her father was right, she cannot just walk in such a big company in front of the owner, show them a stupid work of her and expect herself to be chosen as a worker.

"I am sorry, papa!" she said, and had tears in her eyes. She immediately wiped them.

"Next time I will make sure I get some good work!" she said.

Mr. Raizada was shaking his head. "Dear, why are you crying? I didn't even complete my sentence yet..."

She looked up at him...

"It's okay, papa. I know I need lot to improve."

"Improve? You are fantastic..."

"I know..." she said, but immediately popped her head up at him questioningly.

"Yes, my dear, that's the spirit. You are fantastic. I loved your designs. They are perfect...I am really stunned that my daughter is a fresh pack of a talent...And before I say this, I want you to give this Kleenex box to you..."

She took it from his hands but wondered what he was planning on to say to her...

"After your graduation, would you like to do your internship at our company? It will be a great honour for us," he said.

Khushi's eyes stuck out, heart jumped to her throat, her nerves were over excited.

"You have lot of time to decide, if you want to work with us..."

"Y-yes! I will!" she said, without thinking. Her voice hardly came out of her throat.

"Okay, so...My company is eagerly waiting for a great person like you to work with..."

"T-thank you, papa!" she couldn't talk normally.

"I am very excited to work with you, my child!"

She shook her hand with him formally and rushed out of his cabin.

Mr. Raizada grinned at her back...

As soon as she got out of the cabin and saw Arnav waiting for him, she hugged him. Arnav got worried when he heard her cries. "Khushi, baby, what's wrong?"

Her heart was beating furiously, he could feel it against his chest. He rubbed her back to calm her.

"Arnav, papa liked my designs and he wants me to do his internship at this office after my graduation!" words came out her mouth with several pauses. He face palmed. Here he was worried thinking his father didn't like her designs. Even though he knew he would have loved them, you never know...He didn't pull away from the until she did...
"Wasn't I telling you, that he will like your work?"
He felt nod of her head...Her legs were still shaking, he could feel her body was trembling too as if she was cold...
She pulled away from a hug when her heart and mind had stopped being furious and her body was relaxed.
"Arnav, if you hadn't been here, I would have seriously died..."
"No, you wouldn't have. I know you are strong...Now would you like to eat something..."
She nodded. "But, Arnav, can we go home and eat?"
"Sure, as you say!"

Khushi took a deep breath and walked out of the office, feeling much more confident. She could feel herself free of more burden. And she was ever so ready to step out in the real world and face it. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, but she was ready. She had her start up kick.

"Arnav, today, I will cook food that mom taught me..."
"Woah, really? To tell you the truth I am really hungry then..." he said giving a small kiss on her cheek as they both left the office and made their way towards the parking lot.

They both sat in their car, Khushi fell back in her seat and closed her eyes. Arnav was going to start the engine of the car but stopped and watch her as she was trying to have a word with herself. He kept his arm on the steering wheel and leered at her. As if it was the only work he had, to look at her face. Khushi opened her eyes and knew he would be looking at her.

"All looks like a dream, Arnav..."
"This is what happens when you start living, learn to love yourself, and stop thinking what others think of you...and stop worrying about future and work in present..."

"But it does matter what you think of me, Arnav," she said in a broken voice. "It does matter to me a great deal, what I am for you..."

He took his arm from the steering wheel and unfastened his seat belt. He pulled his hand at the back of her head through her hair.

"You mean everything to me, Khushi. You are perfect for me just the way you are..."

She leant in and wanted him to kiss her. He didn't mind it, he moved forward, and placed his lips softly on hers. This time she let him lead her. She arched her head to have a proper access to his lips, he bit her lower lip, that made her heart do a flip, needs grew just like a demand of drinks one after the other even though it is bitter. But this one got no bitterness to it.

Their tongues fought for the possession and when they could no longer breathe they pulled back a bit, saw in each other's eyes. And then they both fell back in their seats.

Her lower lip was bleeding, he didn't know he had bit her that hard. Before he could even think to wipe it away with his finger, he pulled her towards himself once again and sucked the blood.

"Sorry, did that hurt?!"

She shook her head. "It didn't!"

***
After reaching home Arnav had gone to his room to change, and Khushi went to the kitchen to prepare food. There were not many things that she had learnt to cook but she had little idea about cooking now. One thing she didn't realise that whatever her mother-in-law taught her she grasped really easily.

She quickly washed the rice and put it in a pan with measured water in it. And then she quickly cut the vegetables of her and Arnav's liking. She just wanted to cook food before Arnav had come back. She was so excited to share her first cooking with him and wished it all goes well. She didn't want to disappoint him, just because she didn't have her breakfast, he didn't have eaten his breakfast either.

"Wow, it smells so good! What's cooking? Rice?" he said, walking in the kitchen.

"Yes!" she said. "I am sorry that's the only simple thing I have learnt to cook so far..."

"So what?" he said and stood beside her. He wrapped his arm around her waist.

"What are your plans for a new year?" she asked.

"Oh new year, I am quite booked. There are parties at the club. Even venues are all full..."

"Oh!"

"Yes!"

He opened the lid of the rice pan and give its content a little stir..."Khushi, it looks really yummy..." He said and simmer down the heat."can't wait to eat it!"

"I hope it tastes yummy as well!"

"What you want to do on a new year eve?" he asked.

"Just want to spend that time with you..." she said.

"You got all my time, baby!"

"Arnav, if I ask you something, would you mind?"

"Uh...I guess it depends what is it..."
"It's quite personal..."
"Go ahead and ask..."
"It's actually about Anjali di!"

Arnav looked away from her momentarily and unwrapped his arm around her waist. Khushi looked at him in a fear thinking that she must have hurt him. But he pulled his arm back around her waist.
"I am sorry if I hurt you..." she said.
He shook his head...
"Anjali di, married to a person whom she loved. At first our family was against their marriage. But in front of Anjali di's wish, dad and mom and elders in the house, agreed and they both got married six years ago. God knows after a year of marriage what happened in between them...Di doesn't like to talk about it...We hardly know what happened between them. Who was at fault and whom not..."
"And Shyam jiju?"
"Shyam jiju...It has been four years since I have met him...After their divorce never saw him."
Khushi noticed, he wasn't mad at him. There was no much talk in the media either about their relationship, if there was any then she had hardly focused on it. As far as she remembered Shyam had gone to the same university as theirs. He was quite an intelligent student. He had his name on the honour roll list in an 2004 badge."

"Arnav, I hope I didn't upset you..."
"No, baby, you didn't, being the part of this house you deserve to know all this. But make sure you don't talk of this in front of di. She is quite sensitive about all this!"

"I won't, Arnav!" she promised.
"Okay, so rice are ready, let's eat." he said and helped her grab a plate for themselves. She served and meanwhile he filled a glass of water.

"Khushi, when are your classes starting?"

"Next week on jan 6!" she answered.
"Not far!"
"I know."

They both sat. She filled the spoon of a rice and feed him. "How is it?"

"Awesome!" he amused. "It's really tasty. Here you taste it as well!"

Khushi doubted until she tasted herself. Everything was to the point perfect. Nothing less or more. "You are a chef, Khushi!...You know what, you are a fast learner! And you know what else work?"

"What?"

"This is the first time I am eating something made by my wife!"

She giggled.

To just see that look on his face and get that appreciation, Khushi could have done everything. She had emotionally attached herself to him and even a little thing he liked, disliked mattered to her.

It has always been about you, Mr. Raizada Chapter 14

It has always been about me, really! Chapter 14

Arnav asks his guest to come in, hearing a knock on the door. Sunaina walks in. He welcomes her and asks her to have a seat. "You called, Mr. Raizada?" she asks and grabs a seat on the opposite side of him. "How is Hazel doing?"

"Hazel is good. But, just to let you know, Ms. Fernandez, we are talking business here. Yesterday, I talked to your father, and I would like him to handle this deal with me..." he said, unafraid to get his message across.

Colour from her face drains. Her lips parts to say something but then they shut almost immediately. She was surprise as why he all of sudden he did not want to work with her. She smiles nervously.

"Mr. Raizada, I think we already talked about it. I did say, we shall be working together," she said, in fear. 

"I know, but it's a company's rule to work directly to the owner when it comes to making decisions..."

She stares at him, as she straightaway knew, it wasn't him speaking.

"I am the only daughter of my father, and I am pretty sure I am the boss as well. This project is solely mine."

Arnav rolls the paper holder in his hand as he looks back at her.

"Also, why all sudden this decision? Mr. Raizada, this is extremely unprofessional of you...I wasn't expecting from you this at all!"

"Ms. Fernandez, this is my decision, I decide whom I want to work with..."

"Mr. Raizada,  if I am not involved in this project you are loosing millions..."

He let go of the paper holder, and leans forward on a chair with his arms crossed on the table in front of him. "I have lost most valuables then that, Ms. Fernandez..."

Sunaina gave it a thought and she believed it was because of Khushi. She just have told him her intentions. Good for her, she thought.

"You didn't have any problem working with me until yesterday...Why I feel it has more to do with your wife's insecurities?"

"You are getting personal, there is no reason to bring in my wife in it..."

"You started it first," she said. "She must have told you I am after you, or something like that..."

"How do you know?" he instantly asked.

 Dead silence followed when Sunaina took her time to come up with a reason in her head to tell him to his question, and he waited for the response. 

"I didn't mention anything such t to you..."

"I don't think I need to, Mr. Raizada. Your wife has always been insecure. I am pretty sure you know this..." she looked back in his eyes, unafraid.

"Ms. Fernandez, you are no one to point fingers at my wife..."

"Sure I am not, Mr. Raizada. And tell me, how many girls you would actually turn out to work with, just because your wife is insecure. She doesn't love you, neither she trusts you, the only thing is she wants you. Sooner you get this, easier it will be for you. I know about you, way more than I should. And let me tell you it is not because I want you. I have a very loving person in my life, that's Aditiya. And it's really fine if you don't want to work with me. I don't want to work with you either, not anymore atleast. I am never judgemental, but your wife is stupid!"

"Ms. Fernandez!" he said in a loud voice, and stood up from his chair.

"Do not raise your voice, Mr. Raizada, even I can do so..." she shouted back, however, controlled her anger immediately. "Anyhow, good luck with your wife, and as far as to terminate the contract is concerned, instead of you, I do it...And guess what, I will pay you every penny," She says, looking straight in his eyes. His anger not at all affecting her.

"Good bye; and before leaving all I want to do is, warn you, and your darling wife. Ask her to be extra careful, because she is just ruining her life by hiding secrets..."

Arnav looked at her as if she knew something she didn't know.

"What are you talking about?"

His voice cooled down.

"Ask your innocent wife..."

"About what?"

"Something that she is hiding from you for the past five years..."

"Stop making me guess these riddles, Ms. Fernandez, and tell me what you are talking about?"

"I am not making anything easier for you, since you have insulted me...Good bye!"

More than creating havoc in Khushi's life, she had created hell in Arnav's mind.

"Khushi, was hiding something from me?" he thought. "But what?"

"Ms. Fernandez, please wait!" he almost pleaded.

Even though she was pissed off, she stopped and didn't know why?

"What?" she asked.

"What is it, that you know Khushi is hiding?" he asked.

Since he had been asking much more patiently, she decided to tell him somewhat...And after all she had to fulfil her motive as well...

"Mr. Raizada, ask your wife which letter did your first wife, Lavanya wrote to her. Or ask what does she actually knows about Lavanya? She claims la was her best friend, had she ever mentioned it you about her? And did you read the letter? If you have, do you even know it was written by La, or not? And if you get the answer to these questions, do tell me who is actually desperate to get you. Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada, you had not been loyal to Lavanya either by choosing the second woman in your life either. Me being the part of life of such a person? Is not possible," she says, and without another word, she walks straight out of his office. Door shuts with a loud bang as if storm was finally in their lives and Arnav found himself trapped in it.

He stood stunned for few minutes, he didn't even know what he heard was actual or otherwise? What did she really mean? First, was there no letter? Because yes, he never read it. Secondly, this thought actually never came into his mind that why didn't he know about Khushi? Why la never mentioned it to him about Khushi?"

He didn't know how he should react, he tried to understand, and summed everything and came to the conclusion that there was no letter written and Khushi is not at all La's friend. It was her lies.

This was too much for him. Everything around him, starts revolving, the sickening sensations inside him returns, as if every single of it was going to kill him slowly and gradually.

He pulls his antidepressant out of his office desk drawer and gulp it down his throat with a glass of water. And crashes in his seat, completely out of breath.

For few seconds his mind totally shut.

First he did not at all want to go home, he knew that the molten lava that was boggling inside was full of disasterous flames and it was going to harm everything possible and the most important his relationship with Khushi, if by any chance what Sunaina told him was true.

His world already had been upside down but it was slowly returning, however, now only to return to its usual place, upside down. Back then he had suppressed all his anger knowing he was at fault and was still trying everything that it took to make this relationship flourish of his with Khushi.

He was blaming himself for everything, whether it was hurting everyone in his family, Khushi herself, or every situation that followed. But not anymore. Why he was being on a forgiving end, he questioned himself. It was not that he was doing a favour on anyone but himself and to the worst, he did not even want

to do favours, not even to himself.

Their relationship again stood at the place where it had ended three years ago. 

He somewhere also knew that his family members had been supporting her, they were the one to say that she was La's friend, and they were the only one who told him about the promises that seemed faked to him. It could be more of their plan to hook Khushi with him, then Khushi's own plan to do all this. This only killed his soul and kindness to bring out the brutle side of his that was not at all good if anyone had to face it.

He was right to himself that he had let everyone to hurt him, if by any chance he had thought and respected himself enough, nobody had ever dared to take advantage of him.

He did not know if he should call them a family anymore, he was said every hurtful words possible by them, he tried not to be affected, intially, but now it seemed they were never his. 

He never liked to be this negative, at first place he did not want to think of all this, but he was forced to. He was forced to keep every positive thought away from his mind.

His child. Hazel. Thought of her never escaped his mind, he felt more like her, she like him had nothing to feel but a fear that what she has now was going to be taken from her. He wished he had not given every right to the person who was going to prove every existence of good to a big question to bring in a child in their already messed up a relationship. Should he be quite for her? He thought. For her?

Because after these many defeats in a relationship they shared, nothing was going to be "Always about us!" after the mistakes he and others did, and in all this why that innocent soul was going to be punished? 

However, one thing he did learn from Khushi itself was not to react without knowing the actual truth, and that somewhere helped him calm himself. He hoped,  Khushi did have better reasons to tell him. What it was, did he have right to know? May be the truth that she was hiding was worst then hiding all these truths from him. 

And another question, that he failed to ask Sunaina  was. how did she knew so much about Khushi or about Lavanya and him? Does it matter, because she was just a stranger. May be not! The way she was calling Lavanya, La, it seemed she knew lavanya very well...

Does he keep silence and let things go just the way things were going? As far as patience and the fire inside him was concerned, he was ready to handle it. He did not know how long his patience was going to survive, but he decided he would and today, he was actually not going home. The only way for him to avoid his emotions and stuggle alone just the way he had always been.

Why he would do so?

The utmost reason, his daughter. Second, he was actually in love with Khushi, he did not know anyone was going to take place of her ever, despite of all the odds she did. He would not have left her alone and his child knowing they were the part of his life. He will know the truth one day, and he promised he would try to keep silent till then. If all his efforts went down the drain he promised then his daughter was not going to live in a false hope that her parents loved each other.

***

 Every day, he wished someone in the house will break his or her silence to tell him what they were all hiding from him. But they never said anything in  the past five years, why would they now?

Everyday was becoming a struggle for him. A week passed, two week passed, and then a month that for him was a year. He was trying hard to be quite. 

After a heated talk at the office with Sunaina he never heard from her later. He tried to contact her, her father and even Aditiya, from their side as well he was turned down.

Today, he almost asked Khushi, but he was stopped, yet again.

He saw his rose pink cheeks, her eyes denying to look up at him, and a hospital file in her hands.

His heart picked up the race against his body as he knew somewhat, what was coming.

"Before you say anything, I have to tell you, Arnav..." she said in a low shy tone, and she raised on her toes.

"You are going to be a father once again!" she said in his ear.

His world came to an abrupt stop. He wasn't happy, neither sad. 

She hugged him and he stood as a statue with no emotion. It was not just Hazel, but this new addition in their world for whom he had to stay quite for...

***